


The Little Bitty Misunderstanding

by everystareverywhere



Series: Alternative Universe Prompts [10]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Elevators Rides, F/M, Misunderstanding, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-22
Updated: 2015-08-22
Packaged: 2018-04-16 13:34:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4627194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everystareverywhere/pseuds/everystareverywhere
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>we take the same elevator every day and due to a misunderstanding I assumed you didn’t speak english and I’ve been talking to my friend about how hot you are for three weeks and apparently my friend has known from the start but you agreed not to tell me bc you both think its hilarious what the fuck’ au</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Little Bitty Misunderstanding

Rose Tyler and Donna Noble got onto the elevator, talking about their favorite show that aired a new episode the night before. They were discussing the storyline arc that left them both a little speechless when the doors opened once more and a young handsome man came on. He nodded politely to the two women before pressing the button for his floor. 

Donna watched Rose out of the corner of her eye. She knew that Rose had a tiny crush on this man, but besides knowing what he wore (a suit with converses every single day) and that he spoke French, Rose knew nothing about him. She didn't even know what field he worked for precisely.                                                                    

"God, he's so cute," Rose muttered under the breath and took a quick peek at H.E.M. (which she and Donna came up with to mean Handsome Elevator Man). 

"Perhaps one day you'll actually talk to him," Donna whispered back. 

"You know that I don't speak French." Rose saw him one day outside of the elevator having a heated discussion with someone in French. Rose didn't understand a word (with the exceptions of "oui" and "bonjour"). Not wanting to interrupt them, she casually walked around them --harmlessly admiring H.E.M's rear-end, before going on her way. 

H.E.M. coughed lightly, covering his mouth. Rose noticed the lack of a ring on his hand and felt a little bit better that the man she was admiring was on the market. 

"You could at least say hello," Donna continued speaking in a soto voice.

"I will. Just...not today."

The doors opened and H.E.M walked out, nodding at the ladies once more. Rose sighed deeply as the doors closed and silently cursed her inability to actually communicate with the man she had a crush on.

This continued for a few days, Rose and Donna discussing H.E.M. right in front of him. Rose pointedly ignored looking at him, afraid that he would at least understand that they were talking about him. Though it was odd that the day after Rose commented that he looked so much better wearing a button down than a polo shirt with his suit, he came onto the elevator wearing his usual oxford and a tie.

A week and a half later, Rose was leaning against the back of the elevator with Donna next to her. They practically had to squeeze next to each other, it was so crowded. The other elevator was out of order, so everyone had to use this one.

Rose's breath hitched when H.E.M walked onto the elevator and pressed the button for his floor. When the doors opened once more, he was shoved towards the back and bumped into Rose. He muttered something that Rose didn't catch, but didn't move that much.

"I think this is the closet he's ever stood next to you," Donna noticed.

"I think so too," Rose whispered. "He's so hot," she continued, speaking in a low voice.

"You should say hi," Donna said.

"Soon." Rose responded before the doors opened and H.E.M walked out.

Two weeks after that, Rose was alone of the elevator. Donna had caught the flu and therefore was restricted to only her bed and the toilet. Rose just finished sending her a message, saying how much she missed her and wished her to get better when H.E.M walked onto the elevator.

He nodded politely at Rose who hesitated a moment before she nodded back. She could hear Donna practically screaming in her head to at least say hello if nothing else. Looking down at her shoes, Rose wondered why she couldn't master saying those five little letters. She was not one to let men make her feel inferior, but with H.E.M. it was like she just forgot how to breath, let alone talk.

They were nearing his floor and it was only the two of them and if this ended in disaster, Rose was going to start using the stairs and blame Donna for everything.

"Hello," she said before she lost her courage. "I'm Rose. I mean, er, _mon,_ uh, _nom est Rose."_

H.E.M smiled back and said, "I'm John." When the elevator bell dinged, he said in a  perfect English accent, "It was nice to meet you Rose, but I gotta run." And he walked off leaving a stunned Rose in his wake.

 

~*~

"He speaks _English_!" Rose almost shouted when she was on her coffee break. She was standing outside the building, pacing back and forth while on the phone with Donna, not believing that the man she had a crush on for months actually spoke the same language as her. It was something that she should have been celebrating, but instead all she could think of was how much she admired him out loud.

" _H.E.M. speaks English?_ " Donna asked weakly. Rose felt bad for contacting her when she was obviously ill, but this was one of those situations that could not wait another moment, let alone a week to discuss. " _That is brand new information._ "

Even though Donna sounded like she was on her deathbed, Rose's eyebrows crinkled. "Why does that sound like sarcasm?"

" _Does it? I can assure you it is not."_ Before Rose could say another word, Donna got into a coughing fit and had to hang up.

Rose groaned before putting her phone into her pocket and taking a deep breath. She could do this. She could totally do this. Besides she only saw H.E.M--John in the mornings, so it's fine. She could do this.

After Rose finally got her breathing and heart under control and told herself that they were always whispering, so he probably didn't hear as much as she thinks he did, she steered herself back inside.

The doors to the elevator open and who should be on it but of course, H.E.M. He looked startled to see Rose, but not upset. Far from it, really. 

"Rose!" he said happily. "Going up?"

She hated the fact that she didn't realize he spoke English. Her cheeks heating up, she asked, "Aren't you getting off?"

"Oh," he said when he realized that it did look odd for him not to be getting off. "Right. I would, but I--" He interrupted himself when he reached out to grab the closing doors. "I forgot something upstairs. Going up?" he asked again.   
  
To refuse his offer would be rude and that was not Rose Tyler at all. So, taking a deep breath, Rose got onto the elevator and pressed the button for her floor.

They were both silent for a moment before Rose said, "So apparently you speak English." It wasn't a question. She knew the answer. 

"Yep. I do. I'm an Englishman."

"Not French?"

"No. Well," he said, tugging his ear. "I do speak French. I'm bilingual, I guess you could say. I can also speak a little Japanese and German if need be. But I was taught French in all my years at school."

Right. Of course. That's why he was such a natural. 

"I also have excellent hearing."

Rose cringed. "I'm so sorry," she blurted out before she could stop herself. "I must have embarrassed you." 

He smiled. "Oh on the contrary, you absolutely made my day."

She gave a small grin. "Yeah?"

"Definitely. I started my days with a gorgeous woman saying how hot she thought I was. You boosted my self-esteem, let me tell you. Not that it wasn't pegged down by lunchtime, when I bumped into your friend who insulted me left and right."

"Oh Donna? She probably didn't realize you could understand her either."

"Oh no, she knew I spoke English. Sweet woman, when she's not insulting you."

"Wait, whoa, rewind. What do you mean she knew you spoke English?"

The elevator bell rang. "My stop. See you tomorrow morning, Rose."

"Wait!" But he was gone. Rose fumed as she took out her phone. Donna has some explaining to do.


End file.
